Achievements

Matthew has drawn up a list of more than 50 things he has achieved seen being elected Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner in May 2016:

Put together a new Police and Crime Plan for the next four years, following extensive consultation
Helped fund the establishment of Kent Volunteer Police Cadets
Helped secure £59,000 from the Government for mental health crisis projects
Raised money for the Chief Constable to increase the number of new Police Constables
Cut waiting times for sexual assault victims’ counselling sessions
Supported Kent Police and the NHS to bring back mental health street triage
Set up a project to tackle gang issues in Kent
Set up a £250,000 a year Mental Health and Policing Fund
Regularly engaged with Kent Police officers and staff to support their work
Funded new managers to improve the forces’ complaints handling service
Significantly increased the number of independent custody visitors
Regularly met with the county’s Members of Parliament
Invested in new technology to help improve efficiency and effectiveness
Begun inviting bids for a new £200,000 restorative justice service for Kent
Kept his pledge to ensure business crime is included within Kent Police’s priorities
Set up a board to develop the police’s relationship volunteers
Welcomed dozens of new PCSOs to the force – the first recruits in two years, with more to come
Held a Youth Forum event for young people to hold him to account
Supported the establishment of a Kent-wide hate crime support project
Set up a Mental Health and Policing Oversight Board to hold Kent Police and providers to account
Increased funding available to community safety projects
Improved triaging and self-referral for victims of domestic abuse
Been appointed the APCC’s national portfolio lead on Performance, and deputy Mental Health spokesman
Established a regional mental health crisis care concordat
Agreed to fund a project to support Kent Police officers and staff with their own mental well-being
Improved the mechanisms for holding Kent Police to account
Awarded over £1m of funding for specialist services for victims of crime
Met with county and district councillors, irrespective of their political party
Supported the force in increasing Kent’s number of firearms officers
Protected funding for Kent’s Community Safety Partnerships this year
Cut the waiting times for firearms licence renewals
Lobbied the Government for a fairer funding settlement for Kent
Supported the extension of mobile phone reporting through Country Eye, including launching a Heritage Watch scheme
Invested in a new team to tackle cyber-crime and fraud
Ensure that crime is recognised as important, no matter where it takes place – including rural areas, businesses, online and on our roads
Held Question Time sessions around the county with different groups
Helped local charities recruit and train new volunteers
Funded equipment for Kent Search and Rescue’s new control vehicle
Extended the project where mental health counsellors help with calls in our control room
Continued to fund drug and alcohol misuse projects
Invested in an anti-knife crime project that tours Kent schools
Provided money to community groups to run diversionary activities for young people
Funded services for male victims of abuse and violence
Delivered on a pledge for a review of PCSO powers, which will increase
Held pop up street surgeries in villages and town centres
Set out a plan for Backing Young People and giving them a voice
Delivered greater help for child victims of sexual abuse
Worked with volunteers to get greater recognition for value of Community Speedwatch data
Visited schools to ask young people about their views on crime and safety, including cyber-bullying and sexting
Held Kent Police to account over 101 performance, which has improved
Opened two new mental health wellbeing cafes for out of hours support
Had the PCC’s office dementia friendly trained
Delivered on an election promise to forego £10,000 of his salary
Extended the Chief Constable’s contract by three years

Mr Scott added: ‘There’s lots more to come during the course of the the next year and I look forward to working with all the residents of Kent and our local communities, local charities and fantastic organisations who have been so welcoming and supportive of me in this first year.’